D Messiaen's Mode #7 Guitar Scale
Guitar scale — fretboard diagramAdvanced
What chords fit over D Messiaen's Mode #7?
Open D Messiaen's Mode #7 HarmonizerD Messiaen's Mode #7 Scale — Notes and Intervals
The D Messiaen's Mode #7 scale is a nearly-chromatic scale that serves as the parent for many other symmetrical systems. On Guitar, the notes are D, Eb, E, F, G, G#, A, Bb, B, C#. It represents divine authority and the vast, complex forces of the universe in Messiaen's musical language. Commonly used in Contemporary Classical, Experimental, Avant-Garde. Notable players include Olivier Messiaen. Use in complex, multi-layered compositions. Its near-chromatic density provides maximum harmonic flexibility.
Notes: D, Eb, E, F, G, G#, A, Bb, B, C#
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 2M, 3m, 4P, 4A, 5P, 6m, 6M, 7M
Degrees: 1 b2 3 b4 5 #6 7 b8 9 10
Formula: H-H-H-W-H-H-H-H-W-H
Number of notes: 10
Musical Character
A nearly-chromatic scale that serves as the parent for many other symmetrical systems. Represents 'divine authority and the vast forces of the universe' in Messiaen's musical theology.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Contemporary Classical, Experimental, Avant-Garde
Notable players: Olivier Messiaen
How to Use the D Messiaen's Mode #7 Scale
Use in complex, multi-layered compositions. Its near-chromatic density provides maximum harmonic flexibility.
Origin & Background
The most complex of Messiaen's modes, representing the fullness of divine creation in his musical-theological system.
How to Play D Messiaen's Mode #7 on Guitar
Place your index finger at fret 10 on the 6th (low E) to find your D root note. Because this scale has 10 notes, four-notes-per-string stretches may be necessary. Start with a single position and expand gradually. Keep your thumb centered behind the neck for reach.
The D Messiaen's Mode #7 scale contains both sharps and flats (2 sharps, 2 flats), which is common in altered and exotic scales. This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine — Exercises for Playing
Begin by playing the D Messiaen's Mode #7 scale ascending and descending at 100 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (D-E, Eb-F) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on D to let the characteristic intervals of the Messiaen's Mode #7 scale come through clearly. This scale is especially effective in contemporary classical contexts.
Guitar Tips
Use hybrid picking (pick + fingers) when playing the D Messiaen's Mode #7 scale on guitar to access wider intervals and string skips that a pick alone cannot handle efficiently. Aim for a complex quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
The D Messiaen's Mode #7 scale contains 10 notes (D, Eb, E, F, G, G#, A, Bb, B, C#). Use the interactive fretboard diagram above to explore each shape and pattern on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges. Practice ascending and descending from the root note to learn the sound of this scale.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for D Messiaen's Mode #7
The D Messiaen's Mode #7 scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 10-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.
Explore D Messiaen's Mode #7 Further
- Harmonize the D Messiaen's Mode #7 scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 on Ukulele
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 on Bass
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 on Piano
Explore D Messiaen's Mode #7 in Other Tunings
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- D Messiaen's Mode #7 in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)